Disclosure Day review: Spielberg’s nostalgic sci-fi epic that plays it too safe

Dubai: There is something undeniably comforting about watching Steven Spielberg return to the kind of big-screen sci-fi spectacle that made him a household name. Disclosure Day feels like a throwback blockbuster in the best possible way: sweeping visuals, mystery, crowd-pleasing action, and of course, that unmistakable John Williams score with whom he has been a collaborator for more than 50 years.

The action sequences are packed with nostalgia. Whether it’s the film’s opening stretch or its larger set pieces, Disclosure Day constantly feels like it’s trying to recapture the magic of Spielberg’s greatest sci-fi adventures. For a while, it succeeds.

The first half is genuinely intriguing. Spielberg and screenwriter David Koepp build an atmosphere filled with mystery, tension and promise. Emily Blunt’s Margaret Fairchild, a meteorologist who carries the emotional heart of the film, initially feels like she’s starring in a completely different movie from Josh O’Connor’s Daniel Kellner and Colin Firth’s Noah Scanlon. Daniel is a whistleblower gifted with extraordinary abilities following a childhood encounter with extraterrestrials, while Margaret possesses her own mysterious connection to the phenomenon. Their stories unfold across what initially feels like a political thriller, a sci-fi mystery and a character drama all at once.

Emily Blunt delivers what may be one of the most charismatic performances of her career. A lengthy opening sequence allows her to carry the film almost single-handedly, and she does so with remarkable ease. She’s funny, warm, convincing and deeply empathetic. Margaret’s ability to connect with others becomes her driving force, making her an instantly likeable protagonist. Even when the script loses its footing, Blunt never does.

The film also deserves credit for taking a different approach to alien storytelling. Unlike most extraterrestrial movies, Disclosure Day isn’t particularly interested in invasion narratives or apocalyptic destruction. Instead, it focuses on empathy. The most compelling ideas revolve around the government's mistreatment of alien life for its own benefit and the suggestion that our greatest evolutionary strengths are unity, compassion and love.

Unfortunately, that’s also where the film starts running into trouble.

For a movie bursting with big ideas, Disclosure Day rarely explores any of them beyond the surface level. The most frustrating example involves Jane Blankenship (Eve Hewson), a former nun whose faith is challenged by the possibility of extraterrestrial life. The film repeatedly presents this conflict as a major thematic question. What happens to faith when proof of alien intelligence exists? How do religious beliefs adapt to a universe that suddenly becomes much larger?

The answer, apparently, is that the film has no interest in answering those questions.

The idea is introduced, revisited, and treated as profoundly important, yet never meaningfully explored. The dialogue surrounding it remains frustratingly shallow. Spielberg seems hesitant to take a definitive position or push the conversation in any direction that might alienate audiences. 

The same issue affects almost every major concept in the film. Questions are raised only to be abandoned. A mysterious spiral formation in a cornfield appears loaded with significance but is never explained. Every intriguing detail eventually gets sacrificed in favour of reaching the next action sequence.

As the film progresses, the tension and mystery that make the first half so engaging begin to evaporate. The plot gradually loses its internal consistency, and by the final act it feels as though everything exists solely to reach a single 'big reveal' moment.

Some of the storytelling decisions become increasingly difficult to ignore. One particularly distracting example involves Hugo Wakefield (Colman Domingo). For instance, if he supposedly didn’t know of Margaret prior to the news broadcast incident, why was he already recreating details from her childhood? 

The film doesn’t help itself by introducing an alien artefact that essentially functions as a magical solution to every narrative obstacle. Whenever the story encounters a problem, the artefact conveniently provides an answer. It’s the kind of screenplay shortcut that drains tension from the narrative.

Then there are the aliens themselves.

For a filmmaker who helped define cinematic wonder, Spielberg’s extraterrestrials are surprisingly underwhelming. The movie repeatedly shows footage suggesting aliens have been interacting with humanity throughout history, but many of these creatures resemble theme-park mascots, stuffed toys or unfinished visual effects. Combined with CGI that occasionally looks outdated, the intended sense of awe never fully materialises.

That’s what ultimately makes the film so frustrating. The emotional core is there. The themes are there. The performances are certainly there. But the execution is messy. 

I wanted the film to trust its audience more. I wanted it to explore the implications of its ideas rather than simply introducing them. I wanted the questions about faith, humanity and empathy to linger long after the credits rolled.

Instead, Disclosure Day gives us the questions and then rushes past them.

It’s an entertaining blockbuster with flashes of classic Spielberg magic, elevated by an outstanding Emily Blunt performance and a beautiful John Williams score. But for a film built around the biggest revelation imaginable, it ultimately has surprisingly little to say.

Rating: 3/5